1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drawer guides and more particularly is directed towards a drawer guide system involving a fixed rail and a roller bracket slidably locked thereto and fastened to the drawer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional drawer supports usually include a pair of side rails mounted to the cabinet frame on either side of the drawer. The rails engage a fixed slide member on the drawer or, in some instances, rollers are employed either on the drawer or on the cabinet or both, these being mounted on either side of the drawer and roll along the guide rails. While such drawer guides have long been in use they have a number of drawbacks particularly from a cost of fabrication standpoint. Drawer construction using sets of rollers and rails along both sides of the drawer are incorporated only in large drawer systems and require relatively precision assembly to ensure proper alignment of the components. Further, the rollers must be lubricated periodically to ensure proper operation. Also, drawers supported by this type of system are frequently difficult to separate from the cabinet and to reposition in the cabinet if the drawer is to be replaced. Even drawers not using rollers but merely having fixed slides are unsatisfactory. First of all, the parts must be precisely aligned to ensure that the drawer will fit and move properly within the slideway. If the drawer and the cabinet are both made of wood, the friction between the moving parts may be objectionable and any warping of the wood frame may cause the drawer to bind.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,365 there is disclosed a drawer rail system in which a single overhead rail is fixed to the cabinet and slidably engages a guide. This type of system is self-aligning, simple and provides easy movement of the drawer. For some drawer systems however another drawer support and guide arrangement is more appropriate for use either by itself or in conjunction with an overhead system of the sort referred to above.
However, heretofore there has been no simple, low cost and efficient under-the-drawer type support and guide for a drawer system. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved drawer support and guide.
Another object of this invention is to provide a simple low cost combination drawer support and roller guide system characterized by a sliding locking action between the drawer and the guide.